Arrangement for controlling image plate and its image information and a method for controlling the arrangement

ABSTRACT

A medical imaging system comprises at least an image plate, X-ray device for producing an image of an object on said image plate, and a reading device for reading image information held by the image plate. In connection with the image plate there is a tag containing information for controlling the arrangement in such a manner that when the arrangement has read the information in the tag the arrangement is adapted to perform at least one operation controlled by the information read.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. national stage application of InternationalApplication No. PCT/FI2010/050215, filed Mar. 22, 2010, whichInternational application was published on Sep. 30, 2010 asInternational Publication No. WO 2010/109064 A1 in the English languageand which application is incorporated herein by reference. TheInternational application claims priority of Finnish Patent ApplicationNo. 20095299, filed Mar. 23, 2009, which application is incorporatedherein by reference.

The invention relates to medical imaging, comprising an image plate, anX-ray device which generates X-rays for producing on said image plate animage of an object examined, and a reading device for reading imageinformation contained in the image plate. In particular, the inventionrelates to an arrangement, template and method for controlling imageplates and their image information in medical imaging, and a method forcontrolling the arrangement. The invention also relates to an imageplate packing means to implement said method.

PRIOR ART

In modern medical imaging, images of objects are taken on image platesfrom which the image information is read by means of a reading device.One image plate can typically be used several times and the imageinformation contained therein is reset between imaging operations. It isobvious that many different persons will use a given image plate duringits life span and that an image plate will contain images of severalpatients and even different body parts of different patients.

A problem therefore is that used image plates may become mixed up. Forinstance, image information read from an image plate may end up in thehands of a wrong doctor or it may become associated with a wrong patientor, in the case of a series of image plates where the mutual order ofplates is important, the plates may get into a wrong order so that itmay even become practically impossible to reconstruct an imageconsisting of image information from a plurality of image plates. Insome circumstances the image information of an image plate cannot laterbe associated with the correct patient.

A known solution is to reserve the reading device in advance to a givendoctor and read the image information contained by the image platesimmediately after the reservation so that the image information will endup in the database of said doctor, for example. However, this has thedrawback that when the reservation time of the reading device is notlong enough to start reading the image plates, someone else may make asimultaneous reservation and thus image information of the firstreserver may end up in a wrong place or even to a wrong patient. Anotherdraw-back is that in a series of multiple image plates, the plates mustbe read in a particular order, and if e.g. a human error is made, thatorder may become confused.

SUMMARY

An object of the invention is to provide a solution mitigating theabove-mentioned disadvantages related to the prior art. One object ofthe invention is to solve the question of how to ascertain that imageinformation contained in image plates ends up in the correct place, e.g.to the party that took and/or will interpret the image, e.g. a doctor,and/or in a mass storage device so that said image information can beassociated with the appropriate object e.g. the correct patient or thedoctor who took or will interpret the image.

Another object of the invention is to make possible the insertion ofimage plates in the reading device and the reading of image plates in anarbitrary order also in conjunction with an image series consisting of aplurality of image plates, each image plate in the image series having acertain position with respect to other image plates in the image series,the anatomy of the object examined, and/or the imaging equipment, forexample.

In one embodiment, there is in connection with an image plate intendedfor medical imaging or in connection with a transport and/or protectionmeans associated with said image plate, a tag which can be remotelywritten to and/or read and which contains information for controllingthe arrangement in such a manner that when the arrangement has read theinformation in the tag the arrangement is adapted to perform at leastone operation controlled by the information read.

In one embodiment, the information in the tag is used for controllingthe arrangement in such a manner that the image information contained inthe image plate is delivered to a party specified by information readfrom the tag, e.g. to the party that took and/or will interpret theimage, image processing means in a given room, or to a certain doctor.The image information may also be delivered to a mass storage device sothat said image information can be associated with that particularimaging event and/or person involved. Controlled by the information inthe tag, a folder or database, for instance, can be created in the massstorage device for the object in question to store the image data. Theimage data may also be transferred, controlled by the information in thetag, to an existing folder in the mass storage device, e.g. a folder ofthe doctor who will interpret the images or who took the images.

In one embodiment, the arrangement, having read the tag, is adapted toread from database means information associated with the tag, and toperform an operation controlled by that information. It should be notedthat the above-described embodiment for controlling the arrangement canbe used as an alternative for embodiments in which information read fromthe tag is used as such for controlling the arrangement.

In one embodiment, the information that is written in the image platetag or the information associated with the tag in the database meanscomprises information related to the position of the image plate in theimaging, e.g. position information indicating the position of the imageplate in the imaging operation with respect to the anatomy of the objectexamined, other image plates used in the operation, and/or imagingequipment. The position information can be written during the imagingoperation, for instance. In another embodiment of the invention thearrangement is adapted to deliver the image information, e.g. inconnection with a series of multiple images, to the position in theseries of images read, as indicated by the position information, atwhich the image plate was used in the imaging operation. Similarly, thearrangement may also deliver the image information of an individualimage plate to a location in a model representing the anatomy of apatient, which location was used for the image plate in the imagingoperation. Thus, for example, image information of an upper left caninetooth will be delivered to a location representing the upper left caninetooth in an image series template for at least part of the teeth of thepatient.

A tag used in conjunction with an image plate and/or its transportand/or protection means can be implemented with an arrangement based onshort-range radio, e.g. RFID, Bluetooth, Wlan, Wusb, Zigbee or Wibree.

In one embodiment of the invention, information may be directly writtento the tag to control the arrangement. In another embodiment, the tagmay comprise a code (ID) identifying the tag so that control informationfor controlling the arrangement can be stored e.g. in a database meansseparate from the tag, to be associated with the ID of the tag. In thatcase the control of the arrangement may be implemented e.g. such thatfirst it is read the ID of the tag, then from the database means thecontrol information associated with the ID, e.g. a control command forstoring the image information of an image plate associated with the IDin the appropriate location.

In an embodiment in which the tag comprises an ID, the tag may also beimplemented with read-only tags, e.g. optically-read codes, barcodes, 2Dbarcodes, alphanumeric characters or other readable codes known to aperson skilled in the art.

In one embodiment, the tag contains exposure information indicating thatthe image plate with which the tag is associated contains imageinformation and the arrangement is adapted to activate, based on thereading of said exposure information, an image plate reading device, forexample. Furthermore, in one embodiment, having read or reset the imageinformation the arrangement is adapted to alter the exposure informationin the tag to indicate that the image information has been read and/orsaid image plate does not contain image information.

In one embodiment of the invention the arrangement can be controlledalso by controlling the image plates already during the imagingoperation. For instance, a place can be reserved for an image plate on aseparate template, which place can be identified with respect to theanatomy of the object examined, other image plates used in the imagingoperation, and/or imaging equipment. Identification information, e.g.position information, associated with said place to be identified isproduced and delivered so that said image plate can be associated withsaid place at a later stage.

In one embodiment, identification information, e.g. positioninformation, associated with said place of the image plate on thetemplate is written to the tag of the image plate. In anotherembodiment, the ID of the tag of said image plate is read first and thenthe identification information of the tag and the identificationinformation, e.g. position information, associated with the place of theimage plate on the template are delivered to a database means in such amanner that they can be associated with each other.

In one embodiment, a reader means in connection with an X-ray devicereads from the tag of an image plate the position information of theimage plate with respect to the anatomy of the object examined and if,according to the position information read from the tag, the image plateis incorrectly positioned in the imaging operation, a notification isgiven about it and/or the imaging operation is interrupted.

In one embodiment, position information in the tag or in the databasemeans for an image plate is compared with the position of the imageplate on said template and an indication for an incorrect position onthe template is given if the position information associated with theimage plate does not match with the position information correspondingto the position at which the image plate is placed on the template.

In one embodiment of the invention, information about an infectiousdisease of a patient, for example, could be included in the patient dataand/or in the image plate tag. Said information about an infectiousdisease of a patient can be used for controlling the operation of thearrangement, e.g. by disallowing the interruption of the cleaning of animage plate containing an image of a patient indicated to have aninfectious disease, e.g. for the scanning of the image plate, which ispossible if the image plate does not include said information. Suchinformation may also be some other predetermined information.Furthermore, the arrangement can be implemented such that itautomatically actuates the cleaning of a reading device based on theinfectious disease information or some other similar information.Additionally, if the reading device or some other component of thearrangement comprises parts to be cleaned separately, the arrangementcan be made such that it prompts the user to clean and/or replace suchparts after the imaging of a patient indicated to have an infectiousdisease.

Furthermore, in one embodiment of the invention, image plates areequipped with image plate transport and/or protection means so thatposition information associated with an image plate is printed out so asto be attachable onto the image plate and/or its transport and/orprotection means and/or said position information associated with theimage plate is written to the image plate tag and/or database meanswhere it can be associated with the image plate, wherein the positioninformation indicates the position of the image plate relative to theanatomy of the object examined, other image plates used in the imagingoperation, and/or imaging equipment. Equipping of image plates withimage plate transport and/or protection means can be done using thepacking means described in this document, for example.

In one embodiment of the invention the image plate reading device isadapted to read control information associated with the tag of the imageplate and/or its transport and/or protection means and/or the ID of thetag on some other device, and to perform at least one operationcontrolled by said information read.

In addition, in another embodiment of the invention an X-ray deviceintended for exposing image information onto an image plate or someother device in connection therewith is adapted to read and/or writecontrol information associated with the tag of the image plate and/orits transport and/or protection means and/or the ID of the tag on someother device, and to perform at least one operation controlled by saidinformation read. The control information may indicate that the imageplate is faulty or already contains image information, for example.

The invention has considerable advantages. For example, by means of theimage plate tag the image plates can be configured for a particularroom, doctor and/or patient or they can be associated with positioninformation relating to the position of image plates in the imagingoperation so that the image information of image plates will always becorrectly targeted, either to the correct party or at the correctanatomical spot in a template representing e.g. the teeth or some otheranatomical part of the patient.

The invention further makes possible that image plates, e.g. inconnection with series of multiple images, can be fed into a readingdevice and read in a completely arbitrary order, and the arrangement canassociate the information of the image plates with positionscorresponding to those of the image plates in the imaging operation,e.g. on a template representing an anatomical position related to theimage series.

Furthermore, the hygiene of the reading device, for example, can beimproved when the tag can indicate that the image plate contains imageinformation so that the reading device can be made to automaticallybecome activated without a touch or with a minimal touch when an imageplate containing image information is brought in the vicinity of thereading device. Thus, persons involved in the read operation need notphysically touch the reading device, minimizing the spreading ofinfectious diseases.

In addition, the hygiene, efficiency and user-friendliness of thearrangement can be improved when essential information about thepatient, e.g. information about an infectious disease or the like, canbe used e.g. to control the cleaning of an image plate and/or prompt theuser to clean or replace relevant components in the reading device. Thisway, a lower hygiene level can be applied in the arrangement in normalconditions, and a raised hygiene level can be applied when the patientis known to have an infectious disease, without the user having to seeto it especially.

Furthermore, a particular image plate, e.g. an image plate comprisingimage information, a faulty image plate, an already-read image plate oran image plate with reset image information, can be identified e.g. froma pile of several image plates by means of the image plate tag, wherethe tag indicates the faultiness of the image plate or tells whether theimage plate is empty or whether it holds image information. Theidentification can be implemented e.g. in such a manner that having readthe information in the tag, or information associated with the ID of thetag in a database means, a component in the arrangement, say a readingdevice, X-ray device or some other device, will generate an audibleand/or visible indication. Alternatively or additionally, a displaydevice is connected with the arrangement, e.g. with the reading deviceor X-ray device, for showing said image plate information to the user.In one embodiment, the reading device, having noticed a faulty imageplate, may leave the image plate in the insertion aperture or exitaperture or plate collector and indicate in some of the mannersdescribed above that the image plate is faulty and prompt the user toremove it.

Based on image plate tags a reading device may e.g. indicate the numberof read, faultless and reset image plates in the plate collector, aswell as the nature of information in the image plates located in thevicinity of the reading device. The information may be read direct fromthe tag or, alternatively, from a database containing the tag ID.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are presented in the dependentclaims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Advantageous embodiments of the invention will be described below alittle more closely, referring to the accompanying drawings in which

FIG. 1 shows an arrangement for controlling a medical imaging system inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a template for managing image plates and image informationcontained in image plates and thereby controlling a medical imagingsystem in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 3 shows a packing means for providing image plates with image platetransport and/or protection means and thereby controlling a medicalimaging system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an arrangement 100 for controlling a medical imaging systemin accordance with an embodiment of the invention, where the arrangement100 comprises at least an image plate 101, X-ray device 102 forproducing an image of an object on said image plate, and a readingdevice 103 for reading image information held by the image plate. TheX-ray device 102 may also comprise an image plate holder 102 g.

In one embodiment of the invention, there is in connection with theimage plate 101 or in connection with a transport and/or protection 104means associated with said image plate a tag 105 which can be remotelywritten to and/or read and which contains information for controllingthe system in such a manner that when the system has read theinformation in the tag the system is adapted to perform at least oneoperation controlled by the information read. The protection means 104may comprise a shielding pouch, cassette or some other protectivedevice.

In one embodiment, the reading device 103 comprises a means 103 aadapted to deliver the image information read by the reading device to adestination indicated by control information read from the tag, e.g. tothe party 106 that took and/or will interpret the image, and/or to amass storage device 107 so that said image information can be associatedwith the object of the imaging and/or the person involved in theimaging.

For example, information could be stored in the tag during the imagingor prior to it with respect to the target where the image informationcontained in the image plate is to be stored. The target may be e.g. afile path or a personal file folder of a doctor or patient, or adatabase.

Position information may also be stored in the tag during the imaging,for example, where the position information indicates the position ofthe image plate in the imaging operation e.g. with respect to theanatomy of the object examined, other image plates used in the imaging,and/or imaging equipment. In intra-oral imaging, for instance, theposition information may indicate that the image information containedin the image plate relates to an image taken of the upper left caninetooth. Then, the reading means 103 a in the reading device 103 isadapted to read the position information and together with the means 103b to deliver the position information to a position corresponding to theupper left canine tooth on a template representing the teeth of apatient or at least attach the information related to said position tothe image information read from the image plate and sent forward. Thereading device may store the image information in a database means 107together with the position information, for example. It should be notedthat together with the image information also other information can bestored in the database means, e.g. imaging parameters and/or patientinformation.

This has the advantage that in a series of multiple image plates theimage information of each individual image plate can be delivered tothat particular position in the image series which was used in theimaging and which is indicated by the information read from tag. Thenthe image plates containing image information need not be read in aparticular order because the reading device can arrange the imageinformation in the correct order with respect to the positioninformation indicated by the tag.

Furthermore, the reading device 103 may comprise a means 103 c forwriting information to an image plate tag, and also a means 103 d forestimating the condition of an image plate, wherein the writing means103 c is adapted to e.g. write to the image plate tag informationgenerated by the means 103 d relating to the condition of an imageplate. Thus it is possible to write to the image plate tag a piece ofinformation indicating the faultiness of the plate, for instance, sothat subsequent devices will also know that it is faulty.

In one embodiment of the invention there is a means 102 a in conjunctionwith the X-ray device 102, for example, said means being adapted towrite to the image plate tag during the imaging that said image platecontains image information. In addition, there may be a means 102 b inconjunction with the X-ray device 102 for reading an image plate tag,said means being adapted to read information in the tag and, togetherwith the means 102 c, for example, produce an indication when an attemptis made to use an image plate which already contains image informationaccording to its tag.

There may also be a means 102 d in conjunction with the X-ray device102, adapted to indicate e.g. the faultiness of an image plate after themeans 102 b has read from the tag information concerning the conditionof the image plate. Faultiness of an image plate and possibly also thefact that the image plate already holds image information can beindicated using an audible and/or visible indication or by the X-raydevice refusing to start up or expose the plate. In one embodiment,there is a display in conjunction with the X-ray device for indicatingsaid information to the user.

In one embodiment of the invention the functions of the reading device103 can be controlled on the basis of information read from the tag bythe means 103 a. Said means 103 a may read from the image plate tag e.g.that an image plate brought in the vicinity of the reading devicecontains image information, whereby a means 103 e is adapted to activatethe image plate reading device, e.g. to turn the reading device frominactive mode to active mode. In one embodiment, the reading device 103may also comprise a display 103 f adapted to show information relatingto a tag of an image plate controlled by the information in the tag. Inanother embodiment, the tag may also contain information related to theoperator, e.g. a doctor or nurse, of the image plate associated with thetag, whereby the reading device may be adapted to show, through thedisplay means 103 f, information associated with the operator. This wayit is possible, among other things, to detect inexperienced operators sothat more detailed and thorough information can be displayed on thedisplay means for them than to more experienced users.

In one embodiment, the reading device 103 is adapted to write, using itswriting means 103 c, information into an image plate tag, whichinformation indicates that the image information contained in the imageplate has been read and/or the image plate no longer contains imageinformation.

In one embodiment of the invention, an image plate tag may comprise anID which identifies the tag. In that case a database means 107 maycomprise information associated with said ID so that system controlinformation which relates to the image plate can be stored in thedatabase means 107 in association with said ID of the tag. Controlinformation written to the tag in accordance with embodiments describedabove can in this embodiment be written to the database means inassociation with the ID of the tag so that imaging system components mayread, based on the ID of the tag, system control information from thedatabase means for controlling the system in the various stages of imageplate processing.

The ID of the tag of an image plate may be e.g. #123, whereby it ispossible during the imaging, for example, to store in the database meanssystem control information relating to the ID in question. Thus, forexample, the reading device 103 may read from the image plate tag the IDof the tag and then associated system control information from thedatabase means 107. Then, the reading device 103 is adapted to deliver,on the basis of the control information read from the database means,the image information of an image plate to a correct location e.g. afile folder in a similar fashion as in an embodiment described earlierin this document where the location information is read direct from thetag.

Additionally, the reading device 103 and/or X-ray device 102 may writeinto the database means 107 system control information associated withthe image plate and/or imaging event so that the control information canbe associated with that particular tag and further with the image plateassociated with the tag. The reading device 103 may then write into thedatabase means, for example, that an image plate associated with aparticular tag is faulty, whereby the X-ray device 102 can read theinformation associated with the ID of the tag from the database meansduring the imaging operation and detect and indicate that the imageplate associated with the tag is faulty. Similarly, the X-ray device 102may write into the database means information indicating the position ofthe image plate in the imaging operation so that the reading device 103may later, having read the ID of the tag of the image plate, read theinformation concerning the position of the image plate in the imagingoperation from the database means 107 and, based on that information,direct the image information to the correct location.

Reading information from a tag and writing to the tag can be implementedwith short-range radio technology, for example. In addition it should benoted that in embodiments where only the ID of the tag is read, the tagmay be implemented with a barcode or 2D barcode, for instance, in whichcase the reading of the tag can be done optically.

It should be noted that at least some of the means 103 a to 103 f may beintegrated in the reading device or, alternatively, they may be separatefrom the reading device but operating together with it, e.g. meansconnected with the reading device through some communications link knownto a person in the art.

Furthermore, in one embodiment, there is a means 102 e in conjunctionwith the X-ray device 102 for writing information relating to theposition of an image plate in the imaging operation into an image platetag or into a database means in association with the ID of the tag. Inone embodiment, the means 102 e can be implemented e.g. by control keysor a computer or the like connected to the X-ray device, which can beused e.g. to select position information representing the position ofthe image plate from a menu.

In one embodiment, the means 102 f of the X-ray device 102 is adapted toread, through the means 102 b, from an image plate tag and/or databasemeans an image plate imaging position information associated with thetag ID, e.g. in a situation in which a packing device or some otherdevice or element has already generated a position for the image platewith respect to the imaging operation. Furthermore, the means 102 f isadapted to indicate the image plate position information to the userthrough a display means, audible indications, and/or visibleindications, for example.

In one embodiment, the reading means 102 f in conjunction with the X-raydevice 102 is adapted to read, through the means 102 b, from an imageplate tag, position information for the image plate with respect to theanatomy of the object examined when imaging position information for theimage plate has been generated in the tag in advance, and if accordingto the position information read from the tag the image plate isincorrectly positioned in the imaging operation, the means 102 f isadapted to indicate, through a display means, audible indications and/orvisible indications, that the image plate is incorrectly positionedand/or the imaging operation is interrupted.

It should be noted that at least some of the means 102 a to 102 f inconjunction with the X-ray device may be integrated in the X-ray deviceor, alternatively, they may be separate from the X-ray device butoperating together with it, e.g. means connected with the X-ray devicethrough some communications link known to a person in the art. Inaddition it should be noted that at least some of the means 102 a to 102f may constitute parts of an image plate holder 102 g in the X-raydevice.

The arrangement 100 may also include a means for interpreting and/ordisplaying the information delivered by the reading device 103, saidmeans being e.g. a data processing means 108 in conjunction with theelement 106 and being adapted to display, based on the informationdelivered by the reading device 103, the image information read from theimage plates to the appropriate doctor or to be associated with theappropriate patient. The reading device 103 may e.g. deliver the imageinformation and associated information relating to the patient or thedoctor interpreting the images, whereby the data processing means 108 isadapted to display the appropriate image information e.g. to a doctorlogged in on the data processing means 108. In one embodiment, the dataprocessing means 108 is adapted to receive image information andassociated position information and to attach or display said imageinformation in the appropriate location on an image templaterepresenting e.g. the teeth of a patient, said appropriate locationbeing that to which said image information related in the imagingoperation according to the position information. In one embodiment, theabove-described functions of the data processing means 108 can beimplemented at least in part with a suitable computer software product.

In one embodiment, there is in conjunction with the image plate 101 ortransport and/or protection means 104 an active tag 105 a which could bea RFID tag, for example, during the imaging operation, and a directionsensor 109, the active tag being adapted to register the directioninformation produced by the direction sensor during the imaging. Thedirection sensor may e.g. provide information about how it is positionedin the vertical and/or lateral direction at the moment when it is hit byan X-ray or a RF beam. Then the tag may at a later stage also indicatethe direction of the image plate during the imaging operation inassociation with any embodiment described in this document. Then n canbe at a later stage ascertained how the image plate was positioned inthe imaging operation, for example. It should be noted that even thougha RFID tag is used here as an example, the embodiment can be implementedusing other active tags as well, e.g. by means of other devices based onRF technology e.g. Bluetooth.

Furthermore, with respect to another embodiment of the invention, theremay be at least two passive identifiers, e.g. RFID identifiers, inconnection with an image plate which are arranged in the imagingoperation in such a way that at least one passive RFID identifier isnearer to the RF read and/or write means of the X-ray device during theimaging operation than one other passive RFID identifier. For example, afirst RFID identifier is nearer to the radiation-emitting X-ray tube anda second one is farther away, where the first and second identifiers areseparated by an image plate and/or metal plate or some other means, forexample. Then the direction of the image plate and the order of theidentifiers can be determined e.g. as follows.

Instead of or in addition to active and passive tags, e.g. RFIDidentifiers, also semiactive tags, e.g. RFIDs, can be used in the imageplate 101 or transport and/or protection means 104.

According to a first method, the RF reading means in the X-ray devicereads the RF radiation emitted by both identifiers and based on theintensities of these two radiations determines which one of theidentifiers emitting RF radiation is closer to the reading means andwhich one is farther away. The rays emitted by that RF radiator which iscloser have a greater intensity than those of the one which is fartheraway. The difference of the intensities is especially large ifRF-radiation-absorbing material, e.g. metal, is placed between the RFradiators. The metal element in that case may be located between themore distant RF radiator and the RF reading means of the X-ray deviceduring the imaging operation.

In one embodiment, as regards the first method, the X-ray apparatus maybe adapted to indicate in the manner described above if the image plateis positioned the wrong way round in the imaging operation, i.e. thefirst RF identifier, which should be closer to the RF reading means ofthe X-ray apparatus than the second RF identifier, is found to befarther away than the second RF identifier.

In one embodiment, the direction of an image plate can be determinedalso by means of one RF identifier. The RF identifier may be placed inthe image plate in such a manner that on one side of the RF identifierthere is material that absorbs RF radiation, a metal plate, for example.Then, for example during the imaging operation, the intensity of RFradiation emitted by said RF identifier can be measured and on the basisof the measured intensity it can be determined whether saidRF-radiation-absorbing material is located between the RF identifier andthe device that reads the RF radiation, especially when the intensity ofRF radiation emitted by said RF identifier either without absorbingmaterial and/or with absorbing material in between the RF identifier andthe device reading RF radiation is known. Further, it is possible todetermine whether the image plate is the right or wrong way round on thebasis of whether or not said RF-radiation-absorbing material should bebetween the RF identifier and the device reading RF radiation during theimaging.

In one embodiment, the system, e.g an X-ray device or a device inconnection therewith, may provide an indication, based on thedeterminings according to the above-described embodiments, for the factthat the image plate is the wrong way round. The indication may be donein some manner described in this document, for instance. Furthermore,the system may prevent the image plate from being exposed and/or promptthe user to turn the image plate around.

In a second method, the identifiers are adapted to indicate the degreeof intensity of RF radiation that hit them in a situation where the RFreading means of the X-ray device is e.g. reading the RF identifier orwriting into it or otherwise directs RF radiation on it, whereby at alater stage it is possible to determine, based on the intensity of theradiation received by the identifier, which identifier was closer andwhich one farther away. In this embodiment, the identifier which iscloser will experience stronger RF radiation than the one farther away.

In one embodiment, the image plate can be equipped with an active tagand a radiation sensor adapted to sense the X-ray radiation hitting it.In that case the tag can automatically, without any special writeoperations, indicate that the image plate received X-rays and that theimage plate has been exposed.

In one embodiment, the arrangement 100 or a device therein, e.g. areading device 103 or data processing means in connection therewith maykeep a record or statistics of image plates in the system and of theircondition and may also be arranged to indicate to the user, through adisplay means, for example, when the number of faulty image platesexceeds a certain threshold value, and/or automatically place an orderfor additional image plates in a situation in which the number offaultless image plates drops below a certain threshold value.

In one embodiment of the invention, information about the health of thepatient, e.g. a possible infectious disease, could be included in thearrangement 100, in the patient data and/or in the image plate tag. Saidinformation about an infectious disease of a patient can be used forcontrolling the operation of the arrangement 100, e.g. by disallowingthe interruption of the cleaning of an image plate containing an imageof a patient indicated to have an infectious disease, e.g. in thereading device 103. Alternatively or in addition, the arrangement 100may actuate an automatic cleaning of the reading device 103 after thereading of such an image, or the arrangement can be made such that itprompts the user to clean and/or replace e.g. components of the readingdevice 103, if it contains such components, following a patientassociated with such infectious disease information.

FIG. 2 shows a template 200 for managing image plates 101 and imageinformation contained in image plates and thereby controlling a medicalimaging system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Thetemplate 200 comprises a place 201 for at least one image plate 101 ande.g. in intra-oral imaging, an individual place for each image plateused in the imaging of the teeth. The template 200 shown as an examplein FIG. 2 comprises places 201 for all upper and lower teeth, frontteeth, and posterior teeth.

In one embodiment, the places 201 on the template 200 are arranged so asto be identifiable, and they may be associated with an identifier, e.g,a positional identifier which identifies the particular place, e.g.FMX1, FMX2, . . . , FMX17, FMX18. Thus an image plate used at a certainplace 201 of the template 200 in the imaging operation can at a laterstage be associated with that particular place e.g. by writing theposition identification of that place, e.g. FMX3, into the tag 105attached to the image plate (or transport and/or protection means 104 ofthe image plate). Alternatively, said position identification can bewritten into a database means in such a manner that it can be associatedwith the ID of the tag, e.g. into the database means 107 shown in FIG.1, from which place it can be later read, and by means of which theposition of the image plate in the imaging operation can also bedetermined.

In one embodiment, the template 200 comprises a means 202 for deliveringan identifier, e.g. a position identifier, relating to at least oneplace of the template, either to the tag attached to the image plateassociated with that place or to a database means so that said imageplate can at a later stage be associated with said place of thetemplate. In one embodiment, each of the places on the template maycomprise e.g. a RFID writing means 202 r adapted to write the positionidentifier, e.g. FMX17, of the place of the template into a RFID tagattached to the image plate used on that particular place.

In another embodiment, the template 200 may comprise a means 203 forreading a tag attached to the image plate and for reading the ID of thetag. The template can then deliver to the database means the positioninformation relating to the place of the image plate on the templatetogether with the ID of the tag attached to the image plate so that theID of the tag can at a later stage be associated with the templateplace.

In one embodiment, the template 200 may also read position informationwritten into a tag of an image plate or position information which canbe associated with the ID of said tag from a database means, where theposition information relates to the place of the image plate on saidtemplate. Furthermore, the template 200 may comprise a means 204 adaptedto compare the position information of an image plate to the place ofthe image plate on said template and, in addition, to indicate anincorrect location of an image plate on the template by means of audibleand/or visible indications or using a display means integrated in thetemplate or connected to it through a communications link, if theposition information of said image plate does not match with theinformation indicating the place of the template where the image plateis located.

In one embodiment, the template is arranged to write also otherinformation into the tag, or into a database means so that it can beassociated with the ID of the tag, e.g. information related to theobject or patient examined, or e.g. control information concerning thedestination of the image information of the image plate, e.g. a filepath or information specifying a certain doctor.

In addition, in one embodiment the template may comprise a means 205 fordetecting a faulty image plate on the template on the basis of the imageplate tag or based on information contained in a database means whichinformation is associated with the ID of the tag. The means 205 isadvantageously arranged to indicate the faultiness of an image platee.g. as described in this document, e.g. using audible and/or visibleindications or a display device.

In one embodiment, the above-mentioned functions of the template 200 canbe controlled by e.g. a computer connected to the template, where thecomputer can be used e.g. to write to the tag of an image plate placedon the template information about the location of the image plate on thetemplate. The computer may also be used to read information from tags ofimage plates placed on locations of the template. When using a computeror a similar device to control the template it is obvious that thetemplate 200 then comprises a read and/or write means for reading fromand writing to the tag, as well as a means for communicating with thedevice used for controlling the template.

It should be noted that in one embodiment the position information canbe written to the tag and/or database means also manually in connectionwith imaging.

FIG. 3 shows a packing means 300 for providing image plates 101 with animage plate transport and/or protection means 104 and thereby forcontrolling a medical imaging system in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention. The packing means 300 comprises in one embodiment a means301 for reading a tag associated with an image plate or with a transportand/or protection means intended for a tag, and/or a means 302 forwriting to the tag. Alternatively, the means 301 and 302 may be adaptedto read the ID of the tag and write and/or read information associatedwith the tag to or from a database means.

In one embodiment, the packing means is adapted to read positioninformation relating to the position of an image plate in the imagingoperation, where the position information indicates the position of theimage plate with respect to the anatomy of the object examined, otherimage plates used in the imaging, and/or imaging equipment. The packingmeans may read the position information through the means 301 e.g. froma tag attached to the image plate or from a database means utilizing theID of the tag.

The packing means may also comprise a means 303 for printing out theposition information of the image plate onto the image plate or itstransport and/or protection means.

In one embodiment, the packing means comprises a means 304 forgenerating position information e.g. in a series of multiple imageplates, whereby the packing means may be adapted to write the positioninformation which it has generated e.g. to an image plate tag and/ordatabase means where it can associated with the ID of the tag. Thepacking means may also be controlled by a data processing devicecommunicating with the packing means, whereby the data processing devicemay generate said position information and deliver it to the packingmeans which in turn may be adapted to write and print out saidinformation e.g. in the manner described above.

In one embodiment, the packing means comprises a means 305 for taking animage plate out of use if information in a tag read by the reading means301 indicates that the image plate associated with the tag is faulty. Apacking means according to an embodiment, where the packing means isadapted to get from an image plate tag or from information associatedwith the image plate through database means, information about thecondition of the image plate, and to take the image plate out of use ifsaid information about the condition of the image plate indicates thatthe image plate is faulty.

The packing means may read the tag and/or write to the tag usingshort-range radio technology, for instance. In addition it should benoted that in embodiments where only the ID of the tag is read, the tagmay be implemented with a barcode or 2D barcode, for instance, in whichcase the reading of the tag can be done optically.

Only a few embodiments of the solution according to the invention weredescribed above. The principle according to the invention, as regardse.g. implementation details and field of application, may naturally bemodified within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.Especially it should be noted that even though in many of theembodiments described above there was given an example where the controlinformation is read from the tag and/or written to the tag, theembodiment may also be implemented such that control information relatedto the ID of the tag is read from a database means and/or controlinformation is written to a database means in association with the ID ofthe tag. It should also be noted that even though it was above said thatthe tag is associated with an image plate, the tag may be attachedeither directly on the image plate or, alternatively, on a transportand/or protection means associated with the image plate.

It should further be noted that also other information than that whichhas been mentioned in this document, e.g. information for controllingthe arrangement, can be written to the tag or to a database means inassociation the with ID of the tag. Indeed one object of the presentinvention is to use said information for controlling the arrangement orits component devices. Also other kinds of information can be written,e.g. Dicom information comprising information related to the referral,doctor, patient, and/or imaging operation.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the above-described functionsrelating to the arrangement, e.g. reading device, X-ray source,template, and/or packing means, can be implemented, at least in part,using suitable computer software.

It should also be noted that the present invention can be applied insystems used for intra-oral imaging, for example, but also in othermedical X-ray imaging techniques in which image plates are used,regardless of e.g. the size of the image plate used or the protectionmeans used in conjunction therewith.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An arrangement for medical imagingcomprising: an image plate; an X-ray device for producing an image onthe image plate of a patient's mouth examined; a reading device forreading image information contained in the image plate; a tag, which canbe remotely written to and read from, attached to the image platewherein the arrangement is adapted to write information in the tag orassociated with an ID of the tag and read information in the tag orassociated with the ID of the tag, wherein the information in the tag orassociated with the ID of the tag comprises information about thelocation of the image plate with respect to the teeth of the patient'smouth, and to produce information about a location of the image platewith respect to an anatomy of the patient's mouth examined, other imageplates used in an imaging operation, or the X-ray device; and a displayadapted to display an image template representing teeth of the patient'smouth and to display the image information read from the image plate ina location on the image template.
 2. The arrangement of claim 1, whereinsaid tag comprises information for controlling the arrangement so thatwhen the reading device has read the image information contained in theimage plate, the arrangement delivers said image information to a placeindicated by the information read from the tag.
 3. The arrangement ofclaim 1, wherein said tag contains exposure information indicating thatthe image plate which is associated with the tag contains imageinformation, whereby the arrangement is adapted, based on the reading ofsaid exposure information, to activate an image plate reading device. 4.The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the arrangement is adapted, havingread or reset the image information, to alter the exposure informationin the tag to indicate that the image information has been read or thatsaid image plate does not contain image information.
 5. The arrangementof claim 2, wherein the arrangement is adapted to deliver said imageinformation to the location, as indicated by the information read fromthe tag, with which the image plate was associated in the imagingoperation with respect to at least one of the anatomy of the patient'smouth examined, other image plates used in the imaging operation, andimaging equipment.
 6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein there is inconjunction with the image plate an active tag and a direction sensor,the active tag being adapted to register direction information producedby the direction sensor during the imaging.
 7. The arrangement of claim1, wherein there is in connection with the image plate at least oneRF-radiation-emitting identifier and in connection therewith,substantially on the other side, an RF-radiation-absorbing material, andwhere a RF reading means in connection with the X-ray device that readsthe intensity of RF radiation emitted by said RF identifier and todetermine whether said RF-radiation-absorbing material is locatedbetween said RF-radiation-emitting identifier and the RF reading means,and where the arrangement is further adapted to determine the directionof the image plate based on said determination.
 8. The arrangement ofclaim 1, wherein there are in connection with the image plate at leasttwo RF-radiation-emitting identifiers which are in an imaging operationarranged such that at least one first RF-radiation-emitting identifieris closer to the RF reading means of the X-ray device than one secondRF-radiation-emitting identifier, whereby said RF reading meansdetermines intensities of RF radiations emitted by said first and secondRF-radiation-emitting identifiers and, based on the intensities,determines a mutual order of said RF-radiation-emitting identifiers and,further, based on the mutual order, a direction of the image plateduring the imaging operation.
 9. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein ifthe image plate is positioned a wrong way the arrangement at least oneof indicates the direction of the image plate, prompts the user to turnthe image plate a right way, and prevents exposure of the image plate.10. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the reading device is adapted toanalyze a condition of an image plate and write to the image plate taginformation related to the condition of the image plate.
 11. Thearrangement of claim 1, further comprising means for reading informationfrom the tag, and wherein the arrangement is adapted to make anindication or interrupt the imaging operation if, based on the exposureinformation in the tag, the image plate is not empty.
 12. Thearrangement of claim 1, further comprising means for reading positioninformation from the tag, and wherein the arrangement is adapted to atleast one of make an indication and interrupt the imaging operation if,based on the position information in the tag, the image plate is not inthe right position in the imaging operation.
 13. The arrangement ofclaim 1, further comprising means for writing position information foran image plate to the tag during the imaging operation, where theposition information indicates the position of said image plate withrespect to at least one of the anatomy of the patient's mouth examined,other image plates used in the imaging, and imaging equipment.
 14. Thearrangement of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is adapted to keepstatistics of the image plates of the arrangement and their conditionand to make an indication or place an automatic order if the number offaulty image plates exceeds a certain threshold value.
 15. Thearrangement of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is adapted to receiveinformation concerning the health of the patient's mouth examined, onthe basis of which the arrangement is adapted to do at least one of thefollowing: prevent the interruption of the cleaning of an image platecontaining an image of the patient's mouth examined, actuate thecleaning of the reading device after the reading of said image of thepatient's mouth examined, prompt the user to clean at least onecomponent of the reading device after the reading of said image of thepatient's mouth examined, and prompt the user to replace at least onecomponent of the reading device after the reading of said image of thepatient's mouth examined.
 16. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein thearrangement further comprises a packing means for providing image plateswith a means for at least one of transport and protection, said packingmeans being adapted to print out position information associated with animage plate so that it can be attached to at least one of the imageplate and the means for at least one of transport and protection. 17.The arrangement of claim 16, wherein said packing means is adapted towrite said position information associated with the image plate to atleast one of the image plate tag and database means where it can beassociated with the image plate relative to at least one of the anatomyof the patient's mouth examined, other image plates used in the imagingoperation, and imaging equipment.
 18. The arrangement of claim 16,wherein the packing means is adapted to get from the tag or frominformation associated with the image plate in a database means,information about a condition of the image plate on the grounds of saidinformation read, and to take the image plate out of use if saidinformation about the condition of the image plate indicates that theimage plate is faulty.
 19. A method for medical imaging, said methodcomprising: providing an image plate with a tag attached thereto;producing on the image plate, by means of an X-ray device, an image of apatient's mouth examined; reading with a reading device imageinformation contained in the image plate; remotely writing to the tag;reading at least one of information in the tag and informationassociated with an ID of the tag and stored on a database means whereinthe information in the tag or information associated with the ID of thetag comprises information about a location of the image plate withrespect to the teeth of the patient's mouth when producing the image ofthe patent's mouth; examining information about the location of theimage plate with respect to at least one of an anatomy of the patient'smouth, other image plates used in an imaging operation, and the X-raydevice; displaying an image template representing teeth of the patient'smouth; and displaying the image information in a location on the imagetemplate related to the location of the image plate as identified by theat least one of information in the tag and information associated withan ID of the tag and stored on the database means.
 20. The method ofclaim 19, further comprising: providing the image plates with a meansfor at least one of transport and protection; printing positioninformation associated with an image plate so as to be attachable ontoat least one of the image plate, and the means for at least one oftransport and protection.
 21. A system comprising: a reading device forreading an image plate adapted to produce an image of a patient's mouthexamined by means of an X-ray device; a tag, which can be remotelywritten to and read from by the reading device, in connection with saidimage plate; said reading device adapted to read at least one ofinformation in said tag and information associated with an ID of the tagand stored on a database means and to produce information about alocation of the image plate with respect to an anatomy of the patient'smouth examined; and a display adapted to display an image templaterepresenting teeth of the patient's mouth and to display the imageinformation read from the image plate in a location on the imagetemplate that represents the location of the image plate with respect tothe anatomy of the patient's mouth examined as read from at least one ofinformation in the tag and information associated with an ID of the tagand stored on the database means.
 22. The arrangement of claim 2,wherein the arrangement is adapted to deliver said image information toa destination indicated by control information read from the tag. 23.The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the arrangement is adapted todeliver said image information to a mass storage device so that saidimage information can be associated with the patient's mouth of theimage.
 24. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the active tag is an RFIDidentifier.
 25. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein the reading deviceis adapted to write to the image plate tag information indicating thatthe image plate is faulty.
 26. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein thearrangement is adapted to make an indication or interrupt the imagingoperation if the information about the image plate in the tag indicatesthat the image plate is faulty.
 27. The arrangement of claim 17, whereinthe packing means is adapted to read the image plate positioninformation indicated by the image plate tag and position informationassociated with the image plate in a database means.
 28. The arrangementof claim 27, wherein the packing means is adapted to produce saidposition information.
 29. The method of claim 20, comprising writingsaid position information associated with the image plate to at leastone of the image plate tag and a database means where it can beassociated with the image plate, wherein the position informationindicates the position of the image plate relative to the anatomy of thepatient's mouth examined, other image plates used in the imagineoperation, and imaging equipment.
 30. The arrangement of claim 1 whereinthe location of the image information on the image template representsthe location of the image plate with respect to the anatomy of thepatient's mouth.
 31. An arrangement for medical imaging comprising: animage plate; an X-ray device for producing an image on the image plateof a patient's mouth examined; a reading device for reading imageinformation contained in the image plate; and a tag, which can beremotely written to and read from, attached to the image plate; whereinthe arrangement is adapted to write information in the tag or associatedwith an ID of the tag and read information in the tag or associated withthe ID of the tag and to produce information about a location of theimage plate with respect to an anatomy of the patient's mouth examined,other image plates used in an imaging operation, or the X-ray device;wherein there is in connection with the image plate at least oneRF-radiation-emitting identifier and in connection therewith,substantially on the other side, an RF-radiation-absorbing material, andwhere a RF reading means in connection with the X-ray device that readsthe intensity of RF radiation emitted by said RF identifier and todetermine whether said RF-radiation-absorbing material is locatedbetween said RF-radiation-emitting identifier and the RF reading means,and where the arrangement is further adapted to determine the directionof the image plate based on said determination.
 32. The arrangement ofclaim 31, wherein if the image plate is positioned a wrong way thearrangement at least one of indicates the direction of the image plate,prompts the user to turn the image plate a right way, and preventsexposure of the image plate.